November marks the launch of Shift Your Shopping, a program encouraging residents and businesses to make a buy from local independent businesses during the holiday season. Americans expend a large portion of their annual retail shopping budget between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31 — about $700 per shopper according to the National Retail Federation.

Numerous studies show if those dollars are shifted to locally owned, independent businesses, they'll generate far more economic benefit in local communities than money spent at national chain outlets.

"We're asking community residents to shift your purchases of food, cards, gifts, flowers and other holiday items to where it matters most, to your friends and neighbors at locally-owned businesses. This year we have added a ‘Shop Online’ function to our website to make it even easier to support local business," said Colin Murray, Executive Director of Dane Buy Local.

“Dane Buy Local plays such an important role helping build our local economy,” Dane County Executive Joe Parisi said. “We hope highlighting our local businesses will increase awareness of the importance of buying local and provide valuable support to small businesses in our community.”

Nationwide, data reveals independent businesses located within cities with active buy local campaigns reported sales growth of 9.3% from 2013 to 2014 compared to 4.9% for those elsewhere. In Dane County, independent businesses did even better than the national average, reporting a 10.7% increase in revenue over the same period (survey conducted by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in partnership with the Advocates for Independent Business).

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For more information about Dane Buy Local, please contact Colin Murray at colin@danebuylocal.com or (608) 729-7342.